This invention relates generally to apparatus for collating articles for packaging and, more particularly, is directed to apparatus for collating wrapped ice cream sandwiches for packaging.
Conventionally, after an ice cream sandwich has been wrapped, it is placed on an endless conveyor belt with other wrapped ice cream sandwiches and serially moved along with the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt terminates in a dead plate onto which the ice cream sandwiches are deposited. As each wrapped ice cream sandwich is deposited on the dead plate, it pushes the ice cream sandwiches already on the dead plate further therealong. The wrapped ice cream sandwiches are then pushed off the dead plate onto a pair of pivoted wing plates. When a predetermined number of wrapped ice cream sandwiches, for example, three or four, are pushed onto the wing plates, the conveyor operation is stopped, and the wing plates open up to drop the wrapped ice cream sandwiches thereon onto a platform, the dropped ice cream sandwiches then being pushed by a pusher bar into a box for packaging.
However, such arrangement provides distinct disadvantages. In the first place, the distance that the wrapped ice cream sandwiches have to travel from the dead plate onto the wing plates is an extra 12 to 14 inches. Because of such distance, the amount of time necessary for collating the wrapped ice cream sandwiches adds cost and time to the operation and/or mis-operation. In addition, when the wing plates open to drop the wrapped ice cream sandwiches onto the lower platform, the wrapped ice cream sandwiches sometimes tilt or deflect or are caught on the wing plates, which causes further delay in the operation and/or mis-operation. A third problem that results with such arrangement is that a four and one-half inch clearance between the lower platform and the surface of the closed wing plates is generally necessary in order to provide clearance for the opening of the wing plates. Because the ice cream sandwiches drop such a great distance, there is more apt to be problems with misalignment and the like, and there is a further delay involved. Lastly, there is a further delay in the operation since the conveyor belt cannot begin movement to push more wrapped ice cream sandwiches onto the wing plate until the wing plates have closed.
Accordingly, the aforementioned arrangement has presented distinct disadvantages in the collating of wrapped ice cream sandwiches for packaging purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,294,257 to Davies et al. discloses a package handling apparatus including a pusher mechanism in which the pusher is moved vertically out of the way during the return stroke so as not to interfere with further incoming packages. Specifically, the packages in this patent are conveyed to a receiving station comprised of a series of elongated rollers that are spaced apart from each other. In this regard, it is noted that the packages are of a relatively larger size than the wrapped ice cream sandwiches according to the present invention. An intermittently operated ejector mechanism is provided for clearing the receiving station and, more specifically, of clearing the rollers of any row of packages deposited thereon. The ejector mechanism includes a series of dog arms having ends projecting above the plane defined by the tops of the rollers and positioned between adjacent rollers. A mechanism is provided for moving the dog arms in a first direction along the lengthwise direction of the rollers to eject the packages on the rollers onto another conveyor assembly. The dog arms are then returned to their original position. In order to accommodate the flow of packages into the receiving station during return of the dog arms, the dog arms are lowered prior to their return to a height lower than the tops of the rollers so that the ends do not impede the flow of other packages onto the receiving station.
However, such apparatus could not be used for the handling of wrapped ice cream sandwiches. In the first place, the ends of the dog arms assume specific point contact with the ice cream sandwiches which could dent or damage the wrapped ice cream sandwiches. Further, the wrapped ice cream sandwiches could not be used with the elongated rollers in the receiving station. Specifically, it is necessary to position the ice cream sandwiches on a flat plate to prevent the wrapped ice cream sandwiches being caught or trapped between elongated rollers. As such, if a flat plate is used, the dog arms in Davies et al. could not be used with wrapped ice cream sandwiches, and it is clear in the discussion in Davies et al. that the packages are much different.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,302 to Doran et al. discloses carton casing apparatus which is similar to the aforementioned disclosure in Davies et al. Specifically, a series of stationary bars are intermeshed in a cone-like manner, with a series of four reciprocal bars which are movable vertically and longitudinally with respect to the stationary bars. When a predetermined number of cartons have been transferred to the stationary bars, the reciprocal bars are moved vertically upward so as to engage the cartons, and then tabs which are also moved to an upward position at such time, are used for transferring the cartons to a point beneath a gripping-head assembly. The tabs are similar to the dog arms of the Davies et al. patent. However, as with Davies et al., the apparatus of Doran et al. could not be used with wrapped ice cream sandwiches since it is necessary to provide a substantially flat plate onto which the sandwiches are deposited. In such case, the tabs of Doran et al. could not be used.
Other handling apparatus are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,232,410; 3,669,283; 3,863,788; 4,214,655; 4,265,354; 4,228,886; and 4,517,791. However, these latter patents are less relevant than the Davies et al. and Doran et al. patents.